HungryGirl's Profile

I wouldn't bring children to this place for an everyday meal, but for the rare special occasion or event (we attended a giant family birthday party at Providence last year) I think it is fine--as long as the child is well behaved and, as KTLA says above, is willing to order off the menu and have a reasonably pleasant experience. I have a 6-year-old girl who has been dining out since she was a baby and always behaves appropriately and tries new and different foods with a minimum of resistance. It definitely makes my life easier when I need to go to a better restaurant for work or social events but, as a rule, we try to take her to places where she is more comfortable with the food and atmosphere. As for Providence and most better restaurants, if a child is open to the food and well mannered, the staff usually bend over backwards to make it a pleasant experience. They certainly did at Providence and my daughter not only felt special, but she actually asked when we were going back.

I'm going to San Diego on business and, finally, I'm going without the family--so I can try some new things. What do the locals eat? I want mid-range and less expensive, with maybe one nicer restaurant. I like all cuisines, but would love to know the nontourist places. Outside of that place in Old Town with the giant margaritas (who cares about the food ;-) ) I haven't a clue. Help!

My friend is in charge of a big clean water festival for Earth Day and I was wondering if anyone knew a restaurant(s) that does street fairs/festivals, and serves a better quality product than the normal hot dog/curly fries/frozen lemonade variety?

Michelangelo on Silver Lake (next to the 7-11) makes great pizza and is very kind to the kids—it's my daughter's fave. We also try Mae Ploy on Sunset (most kids eat noodles), and Masa in Echo Park, which is quiet before 7. If you're in a rush, Pesado Mojado is great and they make a quesadilla the size of your head that will easily feed 2 hungry kids. With beans and rice it's less than $6 too.

Someone brought a few cupcakes to the office on Thursday and took one home to share with my daughter. It was delicious and never made it home. It was chocolate with marshmello filling. Just the right size and texture. I say give them another chance.

The Bishop Coffee and Gourmet at 8th and Grand is great--opens I believe at 6 am and closes at 11 pm. Great sandwiches (try the chicken curry) and soups. Fernando's Tacos at Figueroa and Olympic (in the car wash) is cheap and delicious--3 tacos and a drink for $5. Downside, he closes at 5 pmNew York Pizza Next Door at 8th and Flower is great and they have a special for $5.95.

When it first opened, I was thrilled since I lived down the street and wanted a local place to walk to--yeah, well that didn't work out. But I agree with Corydon and the chickens to go are good in a pinch. I'm sure they benefit from all that traffic heading home in the evenings.

It may not be fancy, but Papa Cristo's Greek Taverna on Pico near Normandie is delicious and can be festive (check the hours, though, I don't think they're open late every night--but have a family dinner on Thursday nights). For a safe choice, try the Liberty Grill downtown at Flower, just south of Olympic. They have a nice patio and a decent spin on American comfort food. If it were MY birthday, I'd want to visit Taylor's at 8th and Normandie--a classic steakhouse with a great bar and well-priced cuts of meat.

My husband really likes the Cook Shack--mostly because of its big, meat-laden portions. I'm not such a big fan and agree that LeRoy's is worth the schlep--especially for their traditional (thin) waffles. They also serve tater tots, which is a hit with my 4 year old.

Clifton's downtown is a great place for kids and Barbecue King at Cesar Chavez and Sunset has a bouncer on the weekends. Camillo's in Eagle Rock is very family friendly and we often go to Marouch in Hollywood. If the kids are good eaters, there's Mae Ploy on the Silver Lake/Echo Park border, which seems to host a lot of big family dinners.

I'm still mourning the loss of Cafe Capri in Silver Lake, which was the most authentic I had found in the area with homemade pasta and a husband/wife team that treated you like family. I just noticed the building is open again so I'm wondering if it's new ownership or an entirely new restaurant.

Anyway, I'm always on the prowl for good Italian and we just wrote up La Buca, over by Paramount. Supposedly they'll be closed for a couple weeks later this month, but otherwise otherworldly (in a good way...).

Glad to hear that Dino's menu hasn't changed. I grew up in Glendale, but strangely only made it to Scarantino's last month for the first time with my own family. For some reason, my parents always drove to Dino's instead and I have very fond memories of the cannelloni and great waitstaff.

It may be cliche, but Thai Palm on Hollywood, just west of the fwy is a good party spot--and there's Thai Elvis. Also, Elena's Greek Armenian on Glendale Ave., just north of San Fernando is fun, although the room is a little quirky--service is friendly.